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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Slow Session on FOURTH Wednesday in September

Hi, Friends,

Our monthly slow session will be held on the fourth Wednesday of September due to conflicts in my schedule.

I'm particularly excited to share Roscommon flute player Mike McHale's versions of Imelda Roland's and Cregg's Pipes - while you can find those tunes in the Comhaltas 4 book, the versions are different. Kinnegad Slashers is a fun three part jig - you can find it on TheSession.org, but I have a version with chords that I'll be sending out this week. Maguire and Paterson's is a very simple, but beautiful, waltz that I first heard played by the late Kitty Hayes and the very much alive Eoin O'Neill (of Clare FM fame). Kitty was fine old style concertina player. I was lucky to have heard her in person before she passed away. She has a legacy of some great music and two fine albums. One was recorded by Eoin O'Neill and Quentin Cooper in her kitchen, I believe. The other features herself and the outstanding piper and photographer Peter Laban ("They'll be Good Yet").

As to the other tunes, Maloney's Wife is from players in Boston. Carraroe is a Tulla Ceili Band tune. The version of Butcher's March can be found in Comhaltas 1, but we have the ABC from fiddler Willie Kelly. The Rambling Pitchfork can also be found in Comhaltas 1, and definitely in the Mally's books, and on theSession.org. It is a great standard jig that you probably all already know. Lord Inchiquin is an O'Carolan, and we have a very straight version. I'll give you some additional ornamental notes as well.

So look here in a day or two for links to the music I keep promising. I'm really good at procrastinating because I have versions of tunes that require some transcribing...

Anyway, here's a straightforward view of the learning tune list for Fall 2016:

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Slow Session

This blog is for the monthly Irish slow session held at the Old Songs Community Arts Center, 37 South Main St., Voorheesville, NY 12186. Session on Third Wednesday, 7:30-9:00 pm (except July and August), $4 suggested donation to Old Songs for heat/air conditioning/light/photocopies, etc. Led by Irish fiddler Hilary Schrauf.